Consumption of alcoholic beverages in moderate amounts is an accepted societal practice. Additionally, consumption of alcoholic beverages in moderate amounts is considered to provide some health benefits in terms of reduced stress and incidence of heart attack. Consumption of alcoholic beverages in moderate amounts also is considered by many people to enhance the flavor and enjoyment of food. However, even moderate social drinkers can be affected by alcohol. Ethyl alcohol (CH.sub.3 CH.sub.2 OH) is a major purpose for the consumption of alcoholic beverages. When such beverages are consumed, the alcohol enters the stomach and is soon transported to the small intestine. From here the alcohol enters the blood stream via the portal vein and goes to the liver. Here, a portion of the alcohol is oxidized to acetaldehyde by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. The unoxidized alcohol goes to every part of the body through the general circulation. This alcohol, which has free access to every cell in the body, exerts an influence on the central nervous system and the brain. These effects are well known. Operation of a motor vehicle is considered illegal if the level of alcohol in the blood (blood alcohol level) is above 0.1% (in some states) or 0.08% (in other states). Because alcohol diffuses into every cell in the body freely, the blood alcohol level may be measured in the breath as well as in the blood. The acetaldehyde produced is further oxidized almost instantaneously to acetate which enters the pathways of general metabolism. Acetaldehyde and acetate have no effect on the nervous system or the brain. Continued circulation through the liver eventually removes all the alcohol.
The enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase requires a coenzyme called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) in order to catalyze the conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde. The first step in the metabolism of ethanol can be shown by the following equation: ##STR1##
U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,153 to Hopkins proposes a process for reducing the effects of alcohol consumption by reducing the alcohol content in human blood by the administration of alcohol oxidase. According to Hopkins, alcohol oxidase may be administered by direct injection into the human body, or by direct contact with the blood by means of dialysis. Hopkins also suggests that alcohol oxidase may be administered orally; however, Hopkins needs his alcohol oxidase to be enteric coated to protect it from being destroyed in the stomach. He does not reduce alcohol levels in the stomach. He actively avoids this.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process for the reduction of human blood alcohol level by attacking alcohol only in the stomach.